Plenary speech on Uganda, in particular the murder of David Kato

Mr President, today we have an urgent resolution on LGBT rights in Uganda for the third time in this parliamentary term. The previous two were warnings and attempts to prevent what happened to David Kato, the human rights activist who was brutally murdered.
We must condemn LGBT discrimination across the world, including in Europe and even in this House.
The murder of David Kato is a crime that needs to be fully and impartially investigated. Not only do the perpetrators have to be brought to justice, but the broader context of intolerance, discrimination and threats to LGBT people needs to be analysed, and changed. Local publication Rolling Stone and Ugandan parliamentarians have played a role of incitement rather than one of protecting citizens. Since David Kato’s murder, the authorities have been too silent.
The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe has put the rights of LBGT people on the agenda over and over again and, with the support of all Members of this House, we have urged respect for their human rights – because that is what LGBT rights are – and we will not be silent.
I hope that those Members who are sometimes hesitant or even reluctant to stand up for gay rights will think again and realise that killing people is never justified and that it needs to be met with our ongoing and unequivocal condemnation, just as we address the violations of the rights of other minorities across the world, such as Christians.
The Commission and the External Action Service need to use the toolkit to promote, and protect the enjoyment of, the rights of LGBT people to the full extent with regard to Uganda.